Question

If a patient is undergoing a mastectomy immediately followed by a reconstruction, how many surgical setups should be obtained?

A. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments can be used without additional interventions.
B. One; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, so the same instruments can be used after they are cleaned with sterile water.
C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of instruments should be used to prevent seeding.
D. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but will be done in a different OR so two sets will be needed.

Answer 1

Two surgical setups are recommended for a mastectomy followed by reconstruction to prevent seeding, which is the transfer of cancerous cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

C. Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of instruments should be used to prevent seeding. When performing a mastectomy followed by reconstruction, it is customary to have two separate surgical setups. The reason for this is option C: Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of instruments should be used to prevent seeding. The term 'seeding' refers to the unwanted transfer of cancerous cells from the breast tissue to the reconstruction site. Using a fresh set of surgical instruments for the reconstruction helps minimize the risk of contaminating the reconstructed area with any residual cancer cells that might be present on the instruments used for the mastectomy.

The correct answer is C: Two; the reconstruction will immediately follow the mastectomy, but a second set of instruments should be used to prevent seeding.A mastectomy involves the removal of the breast tissue, while reconstruction involves creating a new breast shape. As the reconstruction is done immediately after the mastectomy, it is important to use a separate set of instruments to prevent the spread of cancer cells from the mastectomy site to the reconstructed area. By using two sets of instruments, one for the mastectomy and another for the reconstruction, the risk of cancer cells being seeded and potentially causing metastasis is minimized.